Photographic



(No Model) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

7G. EASTMAN.

APPARATUS FOR COATING PHOTOGRAPHIG PAPER, No. 370,050. Petented Sept.20, 1887.

'L MIIIIHIIIIII N. PETERS. Phowume n lter. Washmg'nn, D.C

(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2...

G. EASTMAN.

APPARATUS FOR COATING PHOTOGRAPHIG PAPER.

No. 370,050. Patented Sept. 20, 1887.

Fig. 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

GEORGE EASTMAN, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE EAST- MAN DRYPLATE AND FILM COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR COATING PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 370,050,51311811September 20, 1887.

Application filed January 13, 1887. Serial No. 224,189. (No model.)

'To aZZ whom it may COILOET'Ib.

Be it known that I, GEORGE EASTMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State of NewYork, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for CoatingPhotographic Paper, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improved niachinery for automatically coatinga continuous web or strip of paper with a thin and uniform film ofgelatino-argentic emulsion, and for manipulating and drying the same, topr0- I5 duce what is known to the trade as bromide paper for picturesand negatives. In carrying out the coating process the paper is drawnthrough a trough containing a fluid mixture of the sensitized emulsion,the paper being held in close contact with the surface of a roller,around which it is drawn to prevent the emulsion from flowing onto theback of the paper, and to cause the latter to be carried in contact withthe fluid and emerge therefrom in a flat condition, so that a uniformamount of the fluid emulsion will be caused to adhere to the surface ofthe paper and be carried off thereon. After the paper has passed throughthe bath it must be moved continuously in the same direction and at auniform speed until the coating has become cooled and sufficientlyhardened to prevent running, when it is suspended upon a frame until themoisture, which in the meantime has permeated the paper, is evaporated.The main difficulty heretofore experienced in performing these necessaryoperations by machinery has been with the feeding and carrying devices.If the coated surface of the paper is brought into contact with anyforeign substance from the time it emerges from the bath untilthoroughly dried and hardened, the integrity and uniformity of the filmwill be disturbed and the part thus borne upon or rubbed will bedefective for practicable purposes. It is, moreover, to be observed thatthe paper when coated and while still wet if pulled or drawn with anyconsiderable degree of force is liable to form in wrinkles, due tounequal stretching, and the fluid or semi-fluid coating will be causedto flow from neighboring points toward and into the wrinkles, therebyproducing streaked and consequently defective paper.

The object of my present invention is to produce a mechanism which shallperform the 5 necessary operations with a minimum loss of material andproduce a continuous web ofpaper having a film or coating of sensitizedma terial of uniform thickness and free from streaks.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated an embodimentof my invention, Figure l is a side view of the coating mechanism, theframe-work being omitted. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the coating anddrying machines as arranged for cooperation. Fig. 3 is a detail of onepair of feeding-rolls, showing devices for raising one roll. Figs. 4,and 5 are detail views of the collared feedingrolls. Fig. 6 represents acard, J, provided with a slit or notch, K.

Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the various drawings.

The letter A designates the roll of uusensitized paper; B, the trough orreceptacle for the emulsion maintained in a fluid state by heat; C, theimmersion-roll, its lower surface dipping below the surface of theemulsion; E E, driven rolls, between which the paper is passed and drawnfrom the roll A. These rolls E E are not required in the treatment ofall kinds of paper, but they are usually necessary, their especialfunction being to unwind the paper and deliver it at a uniform speed andin a flat condition, free from wrinkles, to the immersion-roller C.

In passing the web of paper through and in contact with the emulsion itnot only receives a coating of the sensitized gelatine, but absorbs aconsiderable quantity of moisture, 0 which has the effect of expandingthe paper and rendering it pliable to such an extent that unless drawnvery evenly and with only sufficient tension to retain it in a flatstate wrinkles will be formed as the paper passes from 5 the bath ontothe support of the feeding mechanism, into which wrinkles or depressionsthe semi-fluid coating will be diverted in streaks, thereby destroyingthe uniformity of the coating or film. In order to effect the feeding oftoo the freshly-coated web of paper with the least damage I pass thepaper over a driven roll,

F, in contact with the under or uncoated surface of the web, and tomaintain a sufficient frictional contact to draw the paper evenly andregularly I arrange upon the opposite side of the paper a driven shaft,G, provided with narrow collars D D, preferably adjustable, which bearupon the web at ornea'r the edges and press and hold the paper down andin contact with the roll I As before intimated, the particular functionassigned to these narrow collars is to hold the paper strip down uponand cause it to be drawn evenly over the roll F, and although by theapplication of the collars to the coated face of the web the margin ofthe film is in effect destroyed, this loss is more than compensated forby the superior quality of the film deposited upon the body of the webor sheet. It is not sufficient, in order to secure the even feeding ofthe paper, that it be grasped at its edges only between the roll F andcollars D D, but the paper must be supported and carried positively atall points intermediate the collars D D, and to this end the web iscaused to pass over and rest in contact with the roll F from one edge ofthe web to the other. i

As it takes some little time for the film or coating to set or harden tosuch an extent that the web can be suspended for drying without dangeror liability of injuring the uniformity of coating, it is necessary tomaintain the web in motion for a short period after it leaves thefeeding-roll F and before it is deposited upon the drying-frame, inorder that the coating may set in an evenly-distributed condition. Toaccomplish this result the web, after leaving the roll F, is passed on aroll, F, and between a roll, F, and collared roll F, sufficient slackbeing allowed to form two loops, H H, the one between the rolls F F andthe other between rolls F F". The rolls F and F, constituting thedelivery-rolls, are both driven, as is also the roll F, so that thepaper web is caused to travel continuously in the same direction afterleaving the bath. The quantity of paper composing the two loops is aboutequal, and the one counterbalances the other, so that while the paper isheld under sufficient tension to maintain a flat smooth surface it isnot subjected to strains such as would form wrinkles. After the coatedweb of paper emerges from between the delivery-rolls of thecoating-machine it is deposited upon a drying-frame, where it is allowedto hang until perfectly dry. A drying-frame suitable for the purpose isillustrated in the drawings, wherein I represents a receptacle for thebars; I, the incline up which at predetermined intervals a bar iscarried by an endless belt and deposited upon a horizontal track, I,along which the bars, properly spaced, are caused to move.

, Other well-known forms and constructions of while the web of paper isalways maintained under a sufficient tension to keep the paper fiat itis at no time subjected to such a degree of tension as will occasionunequal drawing of the web and the consequent formation of wrinkles inits surface. By the use of collared rolls operating upon the margins ofthe web I am enabled to employ positive feeding mechanism such as hasnever heretofore been made use of in machines of this character, where acontinuous web of paper is operated on and after being coated withsensitized emulsion is delivered in a free and loose condition upon thedrying-frames.

To facilitate the insertion of the paper between the feeding-rolls, andat the same time make provision whereby the web can readily. be shiftedin case it should run unevenly, I connect the journals or boxes of theupper roll, G, by links I) to bell-crank levers c c, the latterconnected to hand-levers (1, supported in position to be readily graspedby the attendant.

It is not essential to the working of that part of my invention whichembraces the positive feeding devices for drawing the web of paperthrough the bath that the web should be hung in loops, as described, asother forms and arrangements of carrying mechanism for malntaining theweb in motion while the coating is settingor hardening may be employed;or instead of hanging the paper in loops it may be passed directly fromone roller to another. It is found in practice that during the dryingprocess and while suspended in loops from the drying-frame the coatedpaper is liable to twist or warp to such an extent as to bring thecoatings of contiguous parts into contact, to the injury and destructionof the film,while the dried web will not lie smooth and, even.

, With a view to remedying this defect in the the twisting of the foldswill be averted. One

of the simplest and at the same time effective means for thus unitingthe edges of the dependent folds is a notched cord or split sticksimilar to a clothes-pin. These are applied to the edges of the web soas to clamp and hold contiguous folds with the uncoated faces incontact.

To those skilled in the art it will be unnecessary to remark that theoperation of coating paper or other fabric with sensitized emulsion bymy improved apparatus must be conducted in aroom lighted only by asuitable non-actinic light.

1. In a machine such as described, the conibination, with the troughcontaining theemub sion, the immersion-roller, and the rollers forconducting the paper to the immersion-roller,-

of adriven roll over which the coated web is conducted, a moving surfaceapplied to the edges of the web of coated paper and the face sidethereof and operating to press and hold the web in contact with the saidroll, driven rolls upon which the paper is supported and kept in motionwhile the coating is setting, and a hanging or drying frame upon whichthe 5 web is delivered and retained until dried, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a machine such as described, and in combination with the troughcontaining fluid emulsion, the immersion-roll for conducting 10 the webof paper through the emulsion, a pair of rolls, the one cylindrical andthe other collared, the paper web passing over and resting with itsuncoated face upon the cylindrical roll while the collars bear upon theopposite 15' face of the paper, one or more driven supporting-rolls overwhich the coated web of paper is suspended and at the same time kept inmotion, a driven delivery-roll, and a hangup or drying frame onto whichthe coated web :0 is delivered after the emulsion is set, substantiallyas described.

3. In a machine such as described, and in combination with the coatingdevices for applying liquid sensitized emulsion to one face of a web ofpaper as it is drawn, continuously- 2 5 operating feeding deviceslocated intermediate the hang-up and coating devices, said feedingmechanism operating to grasp the web of paper at the edges and draw itforward over a smooth supporting-surface moving in thesame o directionas the coated web, substantially as described.

4. As a means for retaining the paper flat and the coated surfacesseparated while on the drying-frame, the combination therewith of 5clips applied to the edges of contiguous folds,

substantially as described.

GEORGE EASTMAN.

\Vitnesses:

Gno. B. SELDEN, H. G. PHILLIPS.

